Making the Meal

I seem to struggle with creating a full meal menu using disciplinary foods, keeping the cost down and meal excitement up.  Lately, I feel good about meeting my meal challenges.  However, I haven't been very good about blogging!  So here are three evening meals that work with our mile high seasonal fruit and veggie bounty.

For the next blog, I would love to hear suggestions for beets.  We are starting to tire of roasted beets and I tried Chocolate Beet Brownies...not really a fan.  Perhaps it was the altitude.  Anyway, have any great beet recipes that you would like to share?  Leave me a comment!

So, no real story this time, just a lot of recipes:

The Disciplinary Food:  Potatoes
The Meal:  A Brussels Sprouts Salad, Roasted Asparagus, and Potato Gnocchi with a Creamy Sage Sauce

Potato Gnocchi
2 cups hot mashed potatoes (without milk or seasonings)
1 cup sifted four
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper (I used black.)
Pinch nutmeg (I used a bit more!)

Mix all ingredients and put into a pastry bag, fitted with a large, plain tube.  Bring 5 quarts salted water to a boil and heat to a gentle boil.  Squeeze out gnocchi into the pot, cutting every inch, and letting dough fall into water.  Simmer uncovered until gnocchi float and cook one minute more.

Or on a floured surface, make long ropes of dough and cut into 1 inch lengths and imprint lightly with the back of a fork.  Cook as directed.

Source:  The New Doubleday Cookbook.

Creamy Sage Sauce
1 1/2 cup heavy Cream
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1/3 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh sage

Simmer all ingredients in a saute pan for 5 to 7 minutes until slightly thickened.  Pour over cooked gnocchi.

Source:  The New Doubleday Cookbook.

Roasted Asparagus
 1/2 a bunch of asparagus
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 Lemon

Cut off ends of asparagus and place on a toaster over cooking sheet.  Sprinkle olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper over the stems.  Set toaster oven on toast or 400 and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until roasted to liking.

Brussels Sprouts Salad as noted in the last blog post.

The Disciplinary Food:  Asparagus (from the night before!), Spinach, Carrots, Onion and Spaghetti Squash

The Meal: Roasted Carrots, Parsnips, and Asparagus with Spaghetti Squash and Spinach, as well as homemade Whole Wheat Bread with Herb Goat Cheese

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
A few Carrots
A Few Parsnips
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper

In a small baking dish, chop carrots and parsnips.  Drizzle olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste.  Gently mix and put on a high over rack for 30 to 45 minutes at 425.

Roasted Asparagus (See above.)

Spaghetti Squash and Spinach
1 Spaghetti Squash
A few handfuls of Spinach
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Olive Oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 chopped onion

Cut the Spaghetti Squash in half, clean out the seeds, then place in a baking pan, cut sides down, in about 1 to 2 inches of water.  Roast the Spaghetti Squash at 350 degrees for about an hour or until the skin gives to the touch and the squash is cooked.

Scrap the squash out into a pull and mix in the cheese.  Put aside.

Heat and cook Olive Oil, garlic and chopped onion in a saute pan.  Once onions are translucent, add in the spinach.  Cook on Medium until the leaves begin to wilt.  Add squash and stir.  It is ready to serve.

Source:  Loosely borrowed from a friend's dinner idea.

The Disciplinary Food:  Beets, Apples, and Hazelnuts

The Meal: Green Beans with Blacken Sage and Hazelnuts, and a Beet/Goat Cheese Salad (Please note:  there was an item that just didn't turn out too well!)

Green Beans With Blackened Sage and Hazelnuts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh sage
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 lb green beans, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Heat butter and oil, then cook sage until it begins to blacken, 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Add beans and salt; toss to coat. Carefully add 1 cup water. Steam until beans are fork-tender and most of the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle hazelnuts on top and serve.

Source:  Self.com

Beet/Goat Cheese Salad
Beets
Apple
Walnuts
Goat Cheese
Mixed Greens
Balsamic Vinegear
Olive Oil

Using roasted beets, julianed apple, chopped walnuts, crumbled goat cheese and mixing with a mixed greens, drizzle some balsamic vinegar and olive oil to finish it off.